Freedom, Forgiveness, and Love
by fei
Summary: Harry faces Voldemort for the last time...


**Freedom, Forgiveness, and Love**

    

Harry stood proudly before the Dark Lord. Shoulders thrown back. Head held high. Wand pointed at the Dark Lord's heart. The Dark Lord laughed and laughed. He found this to be quite funny. "You think your silly wand can kill me? Boy, if I couldn't kill you with a curse, what makes you think you can kill me?"

    

But Harry knew something that the Dark Lord didn't. Curses have loopholes. Just like the Imperius curse only controlled those who wanted control. Just like the Cruciatus curse only hurt those who feared pain. The Killing curse always killed when one was willing to die along with the receiver. So Harry smiled, opened his mouth, and whispered those fateful words. "Avada Kedavra." The flash of light was white this time. All those around were blinded for a moment.

    

In that moment Severus Snape smiled. Harry Potter had done a most noble deed. Severus was grateful. He had a newfound respect for Harry. He smiled and whispered fateful words of his own, words that had not been spoken by his voice since he was a boy. Severus Snape said "Thank you." He was sure that Harry heard him. He was sure because he was filled with a warmth then and with the warmth came a joy and with the joy came laughter. Severus laughed and felt free.

    

In that moment Draco Malfoy clung to his dead father. He felt the Dark Mark fading from his left forearm. He heard his father's voice echoing in his mind advising him against becoming a Death Eater. He heard Harry's voice echoing in his mind asking him to join the Light. He heard his own voice echoing in his mind screaming the same hateful no at the both of them. And he regretted it all. He too smiled and whispered to Harry and to his father. "I'm sorry." He knew that they had both heard him because he was filled with the same warmth as Severus, a warmth that caused his eyes to tear. Draco cried and felt forgiven.

    

In that moment Ron Weasley and Hermione Granger held onto each other. Hermione tried to tear away from Ron, but Ron wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close. "You can't save him, Herm. He did what he had to do." He hugged her tightly and let her cry on his shoulder. He turned his face in the direction where he knew Harry was and said, to Hermione and to Harry, "I love you." Her answering 'I love you' was also not only directed to Ron, but to Harry. They both held each other tighter as the warmth filled them as well and they knew they had Harry's blessing. They kissed and felt loved.

    

When the blinding light faded and the battlefield was revealed, they all saw the same. The Dark Lord lay in a heap on the ground and Harry just standing in the same spot in the same pose. Shoulders thrown back. Head held high. Wand pointed at the Dark Lord's heart. His eyes met Severus's, then Draco's, then Ron's, and then Hermione's. His eyes watered. He didn't really want to die. But he knew it was his place. "Goodbye." He blinked once more. His eyes rolled back into his head and Harry Potter was dead. His body fell to the ground. The Dark Lord's body crumbled a bit and began to blow away in the wind.

    

By the time the wizard newspapers had shown up, the Dark Lord' body was almost gone. Harry still lay dead on the ground. Severus still sat clutching the leg that had been injured much earlier. Draco still clung to the stiffening body of his dead father. Ron and Hermione still held each other. Not a word had been spoken. Then the warmth faded away and Hermione began sobbing. Great choking sobs that shook her body and Ron's.

    

The newspaper people began snapping pictures. Of Ron, who stoically held Hermione as she cried, but could not stop the errant tears that ran down his face. Of Hermione, who clung to Ron's robes and sobbed into his chest. Of Draco, who sat there shocked into a grave silence that not even tears could penetrate. Of Severus, who for the first time in his life cried openly and buried his face in his palms. Of Harry, who could not even hide from the snapping cameras, but could only lay there in the stillness that only the dead possess.

    

Because Harry Potter was just that. Dead.

-**fin**-


End file.
